Steering mechanism



STEERING MECHANI SM Filed Feb. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fell 11, 1936. o. F. LUNDELIUS ETAL 2,030,822

STEERING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 18, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 War/2 eg Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES NPrfrlezlv'r OFFICE 'STEERING Oscar F. Lundelius and MECHANISM Melvin, N. Leiler, Los An- Application February 18, 1933, Serial No. 657,372

.This invention hasfto do with steering mechanisms for vehicles and although it is particularly designed and adapted for application to vehicles wherein the wheels are connectedto the body by transverse springs rather than by Arigid axles, in its broad aspects, the invention is not :to be regarded as limited to any particular spring or suspension system.

In PatentNo. 1,737,856, issued jointly tous on December 3, `1929, on Steering mechanism for spring supported vehicles, there is disclosed a steering gear similar in certain respects to that contemplatedby the present invention, and the general object of the present invention is `to provide improvements in the type of mechanism disclosed in the said patent. 'I'hisgeneral type of steering gear may be characterized as comprising a jointed tie rod connecting the dirigible wheels of the vehicle, and including a transversely movable member confined to a substantially straight line path of travel, and tie' rod sections extending from opposite ends of said member `to connect with the wheels, or more properlytheinsteering knuckle .In the Ipreferred form of :the invention as applied tospring supportedzvehicles, the tie rod sections have universal joint lconnections with the wheel steering arms andwith the .transversely moving membenso asto becapable of independent vertical oscillatory movement.

lIt isa general object of theinventio-mtoprovide, in combination with a jointedntiev rod.` structure of the character described, an operating `mechanism offset toward one side: oftheyehicle frame, by means of which the tie'rodassembly is laterallyactuated to steer the dirigible-wheels. According to our preferred construction, weprovide a `laterally movable member, preferablyxin the. formof a horizontally swinging arm, mounted in a laterally offset position with relation to the intermediate ,tie rod member and connected thereto so that upon actuation of the arm in its swinging movement, the intermediate tie'rod member is fgiven lateral movement which is impartedtov the wheels through the connecting tie rod: sections.

VIny the yparticular Vstructure hereinafter described, the intermediate tie rod member com- .prises a zblock mounted Vfor transverse sliding movement, and actuated in` such. movement by suitable connection with a horizontally swinging :armf'mounted preferably at the inside of the side rails Yof the frame. The horizontally swinging arm, turn, is actuated b-y adrag link connected .theretopreferably, though not necessarily, at a point outside ofthe frame'railA adjacent thearm mounting By virtue `of, `the oisetpositionof the block actuating arm, the steering gearis arranged in a convenient location without interference with the engine andothercentrally located parts ,of the vehicle, since the transversely extending parts of the gear are placed in advance of the enginey and the connections with the offset steering arm are arranged along the outside of theframe.

As previously mentioned, the steering gear is particularly applicable to vehicles wherein the Wheels are connected to the frame through trans- Verse springs. Because of the vWide range of vehicle deilection ofthe wheels permitted by this type of springsuSpenSiOn, the steering problem Vbecomes-extremely difficult, though it is successfully met by the present steering-gear. This type of spring suspension system, as well -as other steering mechanism that has been successfully used in connection therewith, are disclosed infPatent No. 1,886,963 granted November 8, 1932 to Oscar F. -'Lunde1ius and John R. Dillon on Steering 'gem'.

The above mentioned and additional objects of the invention, as Well as the details of a particular and preferred embodiment thereof, will be understood from the following detailed description throughoutA which reference is had to the accompanying drawings.

`In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan View of the .forward end of a vehicle chassis lof the spring i supported type, equipped with our'improved steering mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the spring mounting and attached parts;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View, partly in section, showing parts of the steering gear in theaspect of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation on broken line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken through the horizontally swinging steeringarm as indicated by line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

It will be understood that in the-broad aspects of the invention, any suitable frame construction may be provided, as well as any suitable number and arrangement of springs, although for `the purpose of setting forth a typical construction showing one embodiment of the invention, we shall describe our improved steering gear in connection with a frame structure and frame suspension system generally similar to that described in the Lundelius and Leler patent referred to hereinabove.

For presentpurposes, it will be necessary to Villustrate and describe only the forward spring suspension system and the forward portion of the frame, which is shown to comprise longitudinally extending side rails I0 interconnected at I I by a transverse frame member I2, and at i3 with a,V 'second downwardly bowed transverse member I4 spaced rearwardly of the frame some distance from the member I2. The dirigible wheels I5 are connected to the frame throughaY spring suspension system generally indicated at I6, and comprising four transversely "extending springs arranged in vertically spaced pairs I1 and I8. The spring terminals are pivotally connected to wheel carriers I9 upon which the Wheels I5 are mounted for horizontal turning movement Y about king pins 20. The wheel assemblies carry the usual steering knuckle arms 2| which are Vinterconnected by the jointed tie rod structure as hereinafter described.

Theupper and lower pairs of springs |71 and I8 are connected to the frame by way of a suspension member 22 which is fitted around and attached to the forward transverseV frame member I2 by bolts 23, as most clearly shown in Fig, Y2. The upper and lower enlarged portions 22a and 22h of the spring suspension member form with the angular plates 24, spring receiving boxes or hangers through which the springs extend at spaced points on opposite sides of their longitudinal centers.,l The spring leaves are clamped together at their longitudinal centers by U-bolts 25 Yterminating inV plates 25aconiined Vbetween the spring boxes Vto prevent longitudinal movement ofthe springs therein. Since the illustrat- Y ed form of spring mounting comprises no part of our present invention, it will be unnecessary Vto go into further detail regarding its structure,

although it may be mentioned that for a more detailed description of the mounting, reference 4may be had to our above noted issued patent Ywherein this structure is more specifically explained. A

The steering knuckle arms 2I are interconnected by a jointed tie rod structuregenerally indicated at 26 and comprising a transversely movable member in the form of a'sliding block 21 confined for movement in a substantially straight line path at right angles with the longitudinal axis A of the frame. Sliding block 21 is connected with the steering knuckle arms by way of Voppositely extending tie rod sections 28, the latter having universal joint connections 29 with the` steering knuckle arms, and similar connections 39 with pins 3| projecting'from block 21 at points equi-distant from thelongitudinal A frame axis AV when the parts are in their normal positions as indicated in Fig. 3.

It will be noted that the wheels, by virtue of their connections with the frame through the transverse spring system, are capable of independent vertical movement as road irregularities are encountered, and that-tie rod'vsectinsV 28 likewise are capable Vof independent vertical oscil-V latory movement to allow vertical wheel displace- A ment; Upon vertical displacement of the wheels,

the outer ends of the tie rod sections describe arcs of substantial coincidence with those described bythe ends of the steering knuckle arms,

so that no tendency arises for the wheels Vto shimmy or wobble as would be the case where a substantial variance would occur between the arcs described by the tie rod and steering knuckle arms.

Block 21 may be connedfor transverse sliding movement by any suitable means connected' frame to connect with drag link 5U.

Vchannel 33 and plate 34 is a transverse opening or slot 36 through whichV pins 3l connecting the block with the tie rod sections project.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the sliding block 21 also carries a yoke 31, thearms 31a of which project through opening 36. The blockV is actuated in its transverse movement to steer the wheels through the tie rod connections, by way of atransversely movable rnember,"generally indicated at 38,`mounted at an offset po- Vsition relative to the longitudinal frameV axis,

member 38 preferably comprising a` T-shaped steering arm or bell crank 39 mounted Yat the inside of the longitudinal frame rail I I).Y Referring now to Fig. 5, the steering arm is shown to include a forwardly projecting arm portion 39a carried on a shaft 4U contained within bearing housing 4 I, the latter being attached by rivets 42 `to bracketV 43 secured at 44 to the side frame rail and'at 45 to the transverse downwardly bowedframe member I2. Shaft 40 isjournaled in bearings 46 and 41 inserted as indicated within the housing 4I, the shaft carrying on its upper endi a nut 48 and the corresponding Dart of the housing being closed by cap 49.

Attached to the forward end of portion 39a' of the steering arm,Y is a cross arm 39h, the outer end of which projects beyond the side rail ofthe The latter is actuated to move longitudinally, through the usual connection at 5I with the steering wheel ann 39b'is connected with yoke 31 attached to Vshaft or post 52. The Vopposite end of the cross i the sliding block, by way of rod 54,.which has a universal joint connection with the steering arm, and a similar connectionY 56 with the yoke.

As will be readily understood,` upon longitudif' nal movement of the drag link 50'by turning of the steering wheel shaft, arm 39 is caused to swing horizontally, and, by virtue of vits transverse movement, to actuate the sliding block 21. A corresponding movement is imparted from th block to the wheel through the tie rod sections. Assuming the drag link to be moved forwardly, the resulting positions assumed by the steering arm 39, the sliding block and tie rod sections,

are shown by the dotted'lines inrFig. 3. Certain distinct advantages are gained by steering the wheels through Vdirect .connection with the sliding block rather than, for example, by connecting the drag link with an arm attached to one of the wheel assemblies and caus-` ing the other wheel to be operated through the jointed tie rod connection, as disclosed in our patent. In the first place, by actuating the block through a direct connection therewith, we do away with any difficulties such as wheel wobbling, that might arise through a variance between the arcs described, upon vertical wheel displacement, between the drag link and an arm on the wheel assembly to which it might be attached. In the present type of gear.` the wheels` are assured of maintaining their normal positions with respectI to the vertical, and normal relative substantially parallel positions, under all conditions of vertical displacement, since as will readily appear, the springs in their parallel arrangement will tend to maintain the wheels in such positions, and no interference to the spring action Will be had by the tie rods.

A further advantage is gained by the invention in that direct connection with the sliding block may be had Without interference with the engine and other parts centered in the frame. The horizontally swinging steering arm 39 is sui'liciently offset toward the side of the frame and the connection 54 between the arm and the sliding block is located far enough in a forward direction, that the parts of the steering gear avoid the engine which is centered in the frame at the rear of cross member 54 of the steering gear. In order to avoid other possible complications, the cross portion of the steering arm preferably is extended beyond the side of the frame in order that the drag link and its connection with the steering arm will lie at the outside of the frame.

A further advantage is gained by the described arrangement of the steering gear parte and the leverage system involved, by virtue of the resistance to shimmying of the Wheels. Concomitant with the capability of the leverage system to effect easier steering, there is also present the reactive tendency of the system to damp out wheel shimmy. The leverage system also eliminates much of the Wear on the steering column gears, bushings, etc., and generally contributes to long and satisfactory performance.

We claim:

1. In a vehicle having a frame including a pair of longitudinal side rails, and a pair of dirigible Wheels, a tie rod interconnecting said wheels, a

horizontally swinging steering arm pivotally mounted on one of said side rails, a transversely extending rod connecting said steering arm with the tie rod, a drag link connected to the steering arm, and means applied to the drag link for reciprocating it.

2. In a vehicle having a frame'including a pair of longitudinal side rails, and a pair of dirigible wheels, a tie rod interconnecting said Wheels, a horizontally swinging bell crank pivotally mounted on one of said side rails and with one of its arms extending beyond the outside of the rail, means connecting said one arm with the tie rod, and a drag link connected to the other end of said one arm at the outside of said one frame rail.

3. In a vehicle having a frame, a plurality of springs arranged transversely of the longitudinal axis of the frame, means for mounting the springs intermediate their ends on said frame, a pair of wheel-supporting members connected to opposite ends of the springs, and Wheels carried on said members, steering mechanism comprising, a block mounted for bodily sliding movement transversely of said frame, guide means conning said block in its path of movement, a pair oi independently movable vertically oscillatory rods extending oppositely from said block and connecting with the Wheels, a horizontally swinging T-shaped armpivotally mounted on 'the frame rearwardly of said rods and at one side of said block, the cross member 4of the T- arm projecting beyond the outside of the frame, ya rod connecting said block with one end of said arm cross member, and a drag link connected to the opposite end thereof at the outside of the frame.

MELVIN N. LEFLER.

OSCAR F. LUNDELIUS. 

